Wall frame for a foldable steel building

ABSTRACT

U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,752 and Canadian Pat. 723,348 issued to the present inventor in a prefabricated foldable structural steel building. The present invention provides an improved wall frame having improved means (100) to secure the wall frames to side wall columns, and an improved releasably secured means (110) securing braces to columns. These improvements permit construction of buildings with wider spans than economically practicable in the patented buildings above, and facilitate erection and dismantling.

United States Patent 1 1 Philp Nov. 27, 1973 [54] WALL FRAME FOR A FOLDABLE STEEL 3,634,992 1/1972 Hughes 52/731 BUILDING 1,451,198 4/1923 Benson 52/93 844,179 2/ 1907 Niesen 52/92 [75] Inventor: Richard Philp, Ghost Lake, Alberta, 592 10 4 1952 Shumakerm 52/69 Canada 3,513,608 5/1970 Nagrod 52/93 [73] Assign: Atco Structures Inc. Anchorage, 649,352 5/190o Rector"? 52/93 Al k FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 732,729 9/1932 France 52/729 [22] Sept 1971 1,139,511 1/1969 Great Britain 52/70 21 Appl. No.: 181,546

Primary Examiner--Frank L. Abbott Att0rneyBrian J. Wood [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 31, Sweden 52 US. Cl 52/70 52 71 52/729 3,296,752 and Canadian 723,348 52/731 52/93 52/641 issued to the present inventor in a prefabricated fold- 51 Int. Cl .E(14b 7/16 able structural Steel building The Present 58 Field Of Search 52/70 729 731 Provides impmved wall frame having imProved 52/69 means (100) to secure the wall frames to side wall columns, and an improved releasably secured means [56] References Cited (110) securing braces to columns. These improvements permit construction of buildings with wider UNITED STATES PATENTS spans than economically practicable in the patented 3,296,752 1/1967 Ph11p 52 90 buldings above, and f ilitat erection and disman- 2,858,916 11/1958 J0sephs.... 52/90 g 2,291,472 7/1942 Johnston.. 52/71 304,798 9/1884 Butz 52/731 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures \///-A l: j 28 1/2/ e //5-A w a 24: Q

Patented Nev. 27, 1973 3,774,355

2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Patented Nov. 27, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved wall frame for a prefabricated foldable structural steel building of a type described in Canadian Pat. 723,348/65, United States Pat. No. 3,296,752, and in corresponding foreign patents of the present inventor. The present invention is directed to improved structure adapted for more rapid erection and dismantling particularly adapted for buildings of this type in widths from 40 to 60 feet (about 12 to 18 meters) and upwards, and to other improvements.

2. Prior Art The patents aforesaid teach a buildinghaving side wall frames and roof frames each of the side wall and roof frames being formed of widely spaced edge members and connecting cross members, with a panel extending between the spaced edge members from end to end. Means are provided hinging each side wall frame to an adjoining roof frame for swinging the roof and the side wall frames into face to face contact, together with means for hinging the roof frames to one another at a ridge of the building. Removable braces are provided at the ridge and at hips formed at a junction of side wall panels and roof panels, to provide rigidity to the erected building.

This building is economical to manufacture and is adapted to be dismantled and the roof and wall panels folded together to form a compact package for shipping. Length of the building depends upon the number of structural units, that is to say wall panels and roof panels, used.

The present invention provides improved means of securing the wall frames to foundations and improved means of securing braces to the wall frames, in buildings wider than contemplated in the patents, and provides improved structure which is lighter, stronger, cheaper to manufacture, and more readily erected, then corresponding structures taught in the patents aforesaid. These and other improvements herein have resulted from several years experience in the use of these buildings. j

A detail description following, related to drawings, gives particluars of a prior art building according to the patents above covering common features of the prior art building and a building according to the present invention to such an extent as is deemed adequate for recital of structure embodying improvements contemplated in the present invention. The prior art description is followed by a detail description, related to drawings, of exemplification of structure expressing the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 5 is a generally sectioned elevation showing means of securing a wall frame to a concrete sill,

FIG. 6 is a part sectioned fragmented plan of an angle section of the securing means,

FIG. 7 and 7A is a part sectioned fragmented plan showing means to secure a brace to a column.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION PRIOR ART BUILDING A description of a prior art building according to the patents above follows, the description including structure generally relevant to the present invention and being given in detail sufficient for understanding structure and function of improvements according to the present invention.

Figs. 1, 2, 3

The building is erected over a concrete foundation as indicated at 20 in FIG. 2, being effectively a concrete sill. Embedded in the sill are a number of longitudinally spaced metal plates 21 stops 22 being provided near outer edges of the plates.

A main structural unit 24 of the building is a transversely extending section .having hinged side wall frames 25 and hinged roof frames 26 FIG. 1.

Each wall frame has two columns 28 FIG. 2 spaced some 10 feet (3 meters) apart. Lower ends of the columns rest upon the plates 21 in engagement with the stops 22 and can be secured to a plate part by suitable means, not shown. The two parallel columns are channels with open sides opposed webs of the channels defining side edges of the frames as best seen in FIG. 3. At spaced intervals the columns 28 are joined by horizontal rods 29, the rods being welded to the webs of the channels and spaced from the outer flanges. The spacing of the rods with respect to the outer flanges of the channels defines a pair of opposing grooves 30, outer edges of a rectangular panel 32 being received in the grooves. The panel 32 can be a sheet of corrugated galvanized metal as shown, and is suitably secured to the inner face of the outer channel flange by use of selftapping metal screws 33. If the side walls of the building are required to be insulated, the grooves 30 are made wide enough to accommodate a layer of insulating material 34. The insulating material can be bonded to the inner face of the panel 32, or simply wedged or fastened in a known manner between the panel and the rods 29.

A bracket 36 FIG. 2 for a bolt 37 is secured to each column'spaced below its upper end, being welded to the open side of the channel near the inner flange. A top hinge plate 38 is welded to the web between the flanges, the plate having a free end which projects inward beyond the inner flange.

Roof frames 22 are generally similar in construction to the wall frames. Two spaced rafters 40 form side edge members of the roof frames and are connected by spaced parallel longitudinal rods 41 FIGS. 1 and 2. A panel 42 is fitted to the frame 40 as before and can be insulated as at 43 FIG. 2. Ridge brackets 45 having projecting bolts 46 are provided on each rafter spaced from its upper end. Near their lower ends the rafters are fitted with a pair of hinge plates 48, the plates having inwardly projecting free ends and being spaced apart so as to receive the hinge plates 38 of the columns 28. Hinge pins 49 connect the plates 38 and 48, the pins being located at the intersection of lines projected from the inner faces of the columns and rafters.

Then two roof frames are also connected by a hinge structure including ridge plates 52 secured to the upper ends of the rafters of one frame. The rafters of the other frame each have a pair of spaced ridge plates 53 the plate 52 of the adjoining rafter extending between them. A ridge hinge pin 54 passes through plates 52 and 53. In the roof frames the hinge pins are disposed on an intersection of the rafters.

The wall and roof frames are connected together by diagonal hip braces 56. Horizontally disposed ridge braces 57 are bolted to the ridge brackets 45.

The sections 24 are secured together by means of bolts 60, some of which extend through the webs of the channels forming the rafters 40. Other bolts 60 similarly connect abutting webs of the columns 28. Thus a rigid structure is provided without additional support members within the building.

Joints between the columns 24 are made weatherproof by corrugated sealing strips 62 FIGS. 1 and 4, secured to underlapping edges of the wall frame panels by screws 63. Similar sealing strips 64 seal the joints between the roof frames and again screws 65 secure the strips to the panels. The upper ends of the roof strips 64 are covered by lengths of ridge cap 66 which lengths are suitably lapped from one end of the building to the other.

A building so constructed has a length according to the number of main structural units 24 used.

IMPROVED STRUCTURE ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION Figs. and 6 As previously described with reference to FIG. 2 Iongitudinally spaced plates are embedded in the concrete sill 20. As seen in FIG. 5 structure generally 100 includes an angle section sill 101 having horizontal flange 102 with spaced slotted openings 103 for lag bolts 104 securing the angle iron sill to the concrete foundation or sill 20.

The means 100 described and illustrated, being means to secure a wall frame to a foundation, does away with the previous plates 21 FIG. 2 and increases strength and rigidity of the wall frames. With this construction, spaced concrete blocks can be substituted for the continuous foundation sill.

The columns 28 are secured to a vertical flange 105 of the angle section, with horizontal rods 29 extending between the columns as before described, the wall construction also being as before described.

In FIG. 6 an angle section 101.1 of an adjacent wall frame is shown butted, as they appear when adjacent frames are joined to one another, slots 103.1 and 108.1 of the adjacent angle section sill being shown. Alternatively which alternate is not shown the angle section can be continuous, with the wall panels being successively bolted to the continuous angle section. As seen in FIG. 6, bolts 106 pass through spaced slotted openings 108 of the vertical flange 105 of the angle section, which bolts secure the columns 28 to the angle section. Figs. 7, 7-A means releasably to secure a brace Means generally 110 releasably to secure a brace to a column are shown in FIG. 7, the column 28 of a chan nel 11 1 having an inner flange 1 11.1 and a web 112. An angle member 1 13 has flanges 1 14, 115, outer edges of which are welded respectively to the web and inner flange as shown defining a rectangular space 115 A having inner and outer side walls defined by the web 112 and flange 115. A brace pin 116 extends through the web of the column 28 and through the column of an adjacent frame, which column has a web 111 A, through the flange 115, serving to pin joint a hip brace 1 19 to the column. A washer 117 and cotter 118 at an outer end of the brace pin secure the hip brace as shown. A circlet 121 can be provided adjacent the web 1 12, and a circlet (not shown) can be used in lieu of the cotter 118. It is seen that the engagement of the head 116A of the pin 116 and the circlet 121, with opposite sides of the column webs prevents movement of the pin and are means to secure the pin against axial movement relative to the column.

FIG. 7 shows an end of the hip brace 119 secured to a column 28, an opposite end of the hip brace is similarly secured to a rafter, the hip brace being disposed generally as shown in FIG. 2. In each case the braces are lengths of structural pipe. Fig. 7-A

FIG. 7-A shows a pin 116.1 passing centrally through the side wall (flange) 115 through the space 115-A being welded to the angle member 1 13 and to the web 1 12 at its inner end. This is an alternative equivalent to the construction shown in FIG. 7. A cotter 118.1 is provided, being releasable means securing the brace to the pin, other releasable means e.g., a circlip or a nut (the pin being threaded) can be used.

MATERIALS AND SIZES Materials typically used are as follows 26 gauge galvanized steel cladding 7 in. channel steel in wall frames 6 in. channel steel in roof frames 2 in. structural pipe struts and roof purlins 2 only 2 ft. by 4 ft. (nomial) fibreglass skylights in each 10 in. section I only 32 in. by 80 in. solid core walk in door c/w hardware 2 only 8 ft. by 14 ft. sliding doors (16 ft. wide 14 ft. high opening); or in corresponding metric sizes and gauges. The foldable building is an expandable relocatable,

steel structure suited for use as an equipment storage or repair shop. The building is fabricated in roof/wall sections l0 ft. (3M) long that provide a 40 ft. (12M) clear span with walls l4 ft. (4M) high. Sections can be added in multiples of 10 ft. (3M) to increase the size of the building as required, and width to 60 ft. (18M) or more can be supplied. Weight per section for a building 40 ft. (12M) wide is some 2,800 pounds 1,300 Kg) including hardware. FIG. 4 shows a number of 40 ft. (12M) sections folded and loaded on a truck for shipment to a building site.

I claim:

1. In a foldable building frame having hingedly interconnected side columns and rafters each column having a web and inner and outer flanges and braces extending between and connected to each column and an adjacent rafter; means securing each brace to its respective column, each of said means comprising:

a. an angle section bracket rigidly connected to the web and inner flange of the column being disposed so that one leg is parallel to and spaced from the column web, said one leg having an opening therethrough,

b. a pin connected to the column web against movement relative thereto and having a portion project- 6 ing through the opening in said one leg of the angle one face of the column web for restricting moveb ac e ment of the pin in one direction relative to the col- "l (fomfecting end of of Said braces to umn web and a circlet mounted on the pin engagprolectmg porno" of the ing an opposite face of the column web for prevent- 2. Means for securing a brace to the column as 5 claimed in claim 1 in which the means for connecting the pin to the ol b includes: 3. Means for securing the brace as claimed m claim a. an opening in the column web for receiving the 1 in which the inner end of said pin is welded to the colin, umn web. b. a head at the inner end of the pin engagable with 10 ing movement of the pin in an opposite direction. 

1. In a foldable building frame having hingedly interconnected side columns and rafters each column having a web and inner and outer flanges and braces extending between and connected to each column and an adjacent rafter; means securing each brace to its respective column, each of said means comprising: a. an angle section bracket rigidly connected to the web and inner flange of the column being disposed so that one leg is parallel to and spaced from the column web, said one leg having an opening therethrough, b. a pin connected to the column web against movement relative thereto and having a portion projecting through the opening in said one leg of the angle bracket, c. means connecting an end of one of said braces to said projecting portion of the pin.
 2. Means for securing a brace to the column as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for connecting the pin to the column web includes: a. an opening in the column web for receiving the pin, b. a head at the inner end of the pin engagable with one face of the column web for restricting movement of the pin in one direction relative to the column web and a circlet mounted on the pin engaging an opposite face of the column web for preventing movement of the pin in an opposite direction.
 3. Means for securing the brace as claimed in claim 1 in which the inner end of said pin is welded to the column web. 